


Strawberries and Cigarettes

by dooditsj, PrincessButter87



Category: Spider-Man - All Media Types, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: F/M, Gay, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-26
Updated: 2019-01-21
Packaged: 2019-08-29 17:48:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 14,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16748761
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dooditsj/pseuds/dooditsj, https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrincessButter87/pseuds/PrincessButter87
Summary: A series of one shots based off of Harry Osborn and Connor Martin. This a fic based off of an ig rp group. I strongly suggest you follow us but for the sake of not making this to long I'm only gonna give you my username @im.harryosborn . Please enjoy and keep in mind that this is only telling Connor and Harry's story. If you would like to keep up with the story you can always follow us on Instagram and by reading chasing cars by princessbutter87. That is all you need to know you're welcome.





	1. Chapter 1

The McDonald's date. August 13 

I held the door open as connor walked into the restaurant. I followed him as he looked back at me.

“ Thanks,” he said with a smile. We walked up to the counter and ordered.

“I’m paying” i said before connor would have a chance to interfere. 

“No no no i'm paying,” Connor said, and slid in front of me closer to the cashier. 

“Hey, what's that over there” I said pointing in the opposite direction and connor looked that way. I handed the cashier the money with a smirk. 

Connor looked back at me with a pout, “There was nothing over there.” He frowned. I winked at him then took the change from the cashier with a smile and a thank you. Connor grabbed the receipt and we grabbed our cups and got our drinks. I got Coke and Connor got Iced Tea. I handed him a straw as we were putting the lids on our cups. We sat across from each other in a booth waiting for our food. As soon as our number was called Connor practically sprinted to beat me to getting the tray. 

There was something different about this boy. He made me feel different in a way i couldn’t describe. It wasn’t a bad thing, it was just unusual. He made me feel something, i’m just not quite sure what it was exactly. I was stone. I was Harry Osborn, The guy with no feelings. The guy who kept my walls up and practically shut the world out. I was the cool dude. I wasn’t the dude who blushed when someone cute smiled in my direction, I’d give them a smirk and a wink. Yet somehow, without either of us noticing this boy made me feel things.

Connor came back, head held high, like some proud peacock.. He set down the tray, snapping me out of my daze. I looked up at him, feeling oddly vulnerable for a minute. This boy i met five days made me question so many things. But right now that wasn’t important. The cute boy in front of me with an adorable smile, at least 40 chicken nuggets, two large fries and two cheeseburgers in front of him mattered. He handed me the one of the four boxes of chicken nuggets.

“Pick a sauce, dork,” i looked at the plethora of sauces he somehow acquired. Barbeque, honey mustard, ranch, sweet and sour and ketchup. I grabbed a sweet and sour and opened the box of nuggets and the sauce container. I watched as connor grabbed a honey mustard and a box of nuggets for himself. 

“So, Tell me about yourself ,Martin,” I said, trying to get out of what felt like awkward silence.

“Well, what exactly do you want to know, Osborn?” He asked, smugly taking a bite of chicken nugget. 

I took a sip of Coke. “How about you tell me where you’re from?” I asked smoothly. Or, at least, I hoped it was smooth. 

“Wisconsin.” he gave me a charming smile “How about you?”

“New York born and mostly raised” I laughed, then took a drink, then ate some fries, just to make him wait for an explanation. He raised his eyebrows,   
“i was sent to boarding school in seventh grade up until last year,” I explained briefly, shoving chicken nuggets into my mouth. “Let’s go back to you. Tell me something you’re interested in.” I changed the topic as quickly as i could from boarding school. It wasn’t necessarily a sensitive subject, I just didn’t like to talk about it.

“That’s a… broad question. Um, music, i guess. I play bass guitar. And I like photography,” he said picking up a few fries.  
We kept talking about that, and I was trying to focus on what he was saying but the only thing I could focus on was the sauce he somehow managed to get on the side of his mouth. 

Without really thinking about it, i reached across the table and wiped it form the corner of his mouth. I swore i could feel fireworks under my thumb as i did. He blushed, his cheeks turning rosy. Connor ducked his head, looking at the ground, trying to hide his blush. I just chuckled lightly and sat back down. He looked me in the eye 

“What was that for?”. 

I shrugged, trying hard to ignore the butterflies in my stomach. “you had sauce on the corner of your mouth.” 

“I could have- I could’ve gotten that” 

“well too late i got it.” I said and looked down at the fries and ate a few. We talked a little more and ate a seriously unhealthy amount of McDonald’s.

We left the building walking around a couple of blocks. He pulled out his phone a one point, opening his camera, and telling me where to pose. WE took a few photos, and I was almost in awe. He was really good. 

At some point we ended up sitting on a park bench making dumb jokes and watching people pass by. He was texting somebody and I didn’t mind, it was quiet and comfortable. I was observant, sixteen years of keeping practically everything to yourself kinda came in handy. Connor was obviously texting someone he liked. I noticed he was biting his lip, holding back a smile. I stared at him for a minute watching him type on the device in hands then he looked up at me and smiled. He looked away eyes shifting from place to place as he looked around.

“Did you know that you have very pretty eyes,” He mumbled, lightly just barely loud enough for me to hear. 

I watched him look around some more before replying. “I might have been something i’ve heard before,” I paused, looking around and then looking back it him with a smirk “but it definitely sounds nice coming from you.” I stood up and looked at him “I should head home, but i had fun. We should do it again sometime” I said, sticking my hands in my pockets. 

“Yeah, i’ll text you.” He smiled. I smiled turning and walking away.


	2. Ah Shit !

**Ah Shit! September 3**

“Hi Mr.Martin,” I smiled as Connor’s dad answered the door.

“Hello harry. Come in, You here for Connor?’’ he replied.

“Yes sir,” i said entering the house and rubbed my hands together nervously.

“Connor,” he hollered “Harry’s here”.

“Hey,” Connor entered the room with a smile. I smiled back at him. No matter what i did my mind was stuck in panic mode. I followed him to his room. “Make yourself at him” he said as we entered the room. His room was homey there was a desk littered with papers and notebooks. There were at least ten bass guitars on the walls, and a couple in the corner, with an amp by them.

I walked over to his bed, and collapsed on it dramatically. “How you doing” He asked with a chuckle.

I sat up “shitty” i stated then laid back down. “Like my brain is just a state of panic,” i sighed “I have no clue what to do. I testified against him in court, in front of the judge, the jury, all those people, the public. He won’t let me live that he never will. Honestly i’m luck if i make it out alive.”

I stared at the ceiling in the silence. At least this time for the first time today it wasn’t awkward. It was a comforting silence. I closed my eyes and felt the bed dip next to me. I scooted over sharing his bed, allowing him to to lie.

“Harry, your legitimately scared” he stated as if he was trying to figure out exactly how i was feeling. “Dude… I’m fucking terrified” I sat up and looked him. “I told you about being sent to boarding school, right?” i asked. He nodded “yeah, you said it was because you were trying to yourself”

“Nah,” I shook my head “that’s just the basic gist that i tell everybody.” I hated this story that’s why i neglected to tell everybody the truth. “It was the summer before third grade.” I paused looking down at my hands. There is only two other people that know the real reason my dad and Peter. “It was the year my mom died and the day before my birthday. Peter was over trying to cheer me up get me in the party spirit. We were in the living room watching iron man on the news. My dad came in drunk my dad yelled at me for hanging out with Peter. Peter was different social class he was poor and lived in the wrong part of town.” i looked at him “the stupidest reason really. Peter was the one kid that i knew that didn’t go to the dumbass rich kid school i went to. He was the one kid i knew that did not give a shit about my money. And the dumbest thing was that dad never seemed to mind Peter until my mom died. Mom loved peter she saw him the same way i did my one true friend, my best friend and my brother. Peter snapped he had taken my dad yelling at me for months years even but for some reason that day was not it.” i smirked “Pete was this tiny little seven year old yelling at a drunk thirty year old. He yelled at my dad for constantly yelling at me, for how bad he treated me. My dad yelled at me telling me to tell Peter to leave and of course peter being done with my dad’s shit he yelled back. Finally my dad’s assistant came in, This blonde girl who hated me and Peter but was obviously done with the yelling. She coaxed my dad to leave and Peter and i stood there in the foyer. We talked for a minute before the assistant came back and told Peter to leave and told me to go to my room.” i took a moment to breath “ i should of told you that it’s a long story” i chuckled

“Don’t worry i have all day” he smiled

“I went up to my room and sat on my bed staring at the carpet. Then my door opened it was “my caretaker” my dad hired her after mom died. She was the one person in that house that i liked and actually cared about me. We talked about my mom and the argument that had just went down . She told me to take a nap while she fixed dinner so that’s what i did. When i woke up it was nine o’clock at night well after dinner so i went to find out why Abby hadn’t woken me up. Only to find my dad at the dining room table with a bottle of rum and burnt hamburger meat on the stove. Turns out my dad fired Abby so i cleaned up with kitchen and made a bowl of cereal and stayed in my room for the rest of the night. The next morning i was at the kitchen table eating some waffles Abby had left in the freezer for when i was hungry and she wasn’t there. He threw a pamphlet at me for some boarding school that taught third to eighth grade. That’s how he told me i was going to boarding school a pamphlet at 9am on my birthday. That was because i hung out with the “poor kid”,” I said, and added air quotes around poor kid. “From queens. I can only imagine what he’s gonna do now.’’

Connor didn’t say anything he just hugged and once again i was thankful for silence. I hugged savoring the sweet moment. He was now one of the three people that knew that story. I don’t know why i kept it a secret, it was just that one thing that i really hated to share.

“You want some hot chocolate?” he asked, bring me from my thoughts.

“Hot chocolate sounds really good” I replied releasing him from the hug.

We walked to the kitchen and he asked me to tell him about Abby. I leaned against the kitchen counter as i watched him make the hot chocolate. I smiled “Abby was in her late twenties and had very curly red hair. She was funny and told me lots of jokes and stories. She made the best Oreo milkshakes ever. She arrived the day after my mom died. I didn’t like her at first to seven year old harry she felt like a replacement mom and no one could ever replace her. Until one day she found my mom’s recipes and tried to make me her spaghetti. I snapped at her for touching the recipes, then i ran into the kitchen gathered them all up and ran to my room. I was in my room for about an hour before she knocked on the door. I wouldn’t let her in but then she told me she had a milkshake with her. I let her in and we sat on my floor as i drank the milkshake and she apologized for touching the recipes”  
I slipped back into the memory i could feel and taste it all. I felt the carpet under my leg and i felt the coolness of the milkshake in my hands and as it went down my throat. “I’m sorry,” Abby said “I didn’t mean to upset you by using the recipes”. I looked at Abby “I’m sorry i snapped at you” I said back. “You know that i don’t mean to replace her, right Harry?” I shook my head. She set her coffee cup down and turned my face towards her “I know how you feel, Harry. I lost my dad when i was nine, i was a daddy’s girl every man my mom brought home all throughout my life felt like a man trying to replace my father. I promise Harry i will never try to replace your mother. But i see how your dad yells at you i see how your dismissed by everyone here who works for him. You are a intelligent little boy, Harry. I know you see it too. I won’t dismiss you.” the tears fell from my eyes and down my face. I hugged Abby she wasn’t gonna hurt and i knew that.

Connor set a coffee cup down next to me “are you okay? you said that last bit kinda monotune,”. Well at least i did finish telling him and i didn’t just check out.

“Yeah, I’m good” I smirked, and took a drink of hot chocolate not thinking it through.

“You idiot” he laughed taking a sip of his chocolate. “Where is your head” he asked setting the cup down, looking at me. I looked in his eyes, biting the inside of my cheek to try to focus on something the burning of my tongue. I got lost in his eyes, in the golden color that came through in the fluorescent lighting of the kitchen. They are the deepest chocolatey amber color. It’s a color i never had the chance to appreciate until now, standing here in his kitchen. I realized what was happening, and looked away quickly clearing my throat.

“Uhhh…. Thanks for the hot chocolate.”

“Anytime,” he said with a smile, “how’s your tongue?”  
“What? My tongue? Oh yeah my tongue. I’m good” I stammered. What the fuck Harry. First you stare deeply into his eyes and then you turn into a complete fucking idiot. Good job ya nitwit!

“Let’s watch a movie” he said walking to the living room.

I nodded and followed him into the living room.


	3. Before the Formal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey guys this chapter was written by the admin of @mj.aka.michellejones. I greatly appreciate her writing this. Please enjoy this chapter from Connor's point of view

Before formal December 21

“Okay okay okay, the real question is who’s gonna have bigger dick energy on the stage tonight, Miles or MJ?” Liz asked.

“I’m not even a contestant?” I pouted.

Harry smiled at me. “You have bigger softie energy than any of them.”

“That’s a consolation prize and you know it.”

“Come on, Connor, you remember that day that Flash posted MJ’s texts to her Instagram and she stood up in front of the whole cafeteria and said that everything was true?”

I laughed. “Enjoy your curly fries, kids.”

“How do you compete with that?” Harry asked. Liz smacked his arm.

“You’re mean.”

“He’s right. How do you compete with that?”

We all sat there in silence for a second.

“I could paint your nails,” Harry suggested.

Liz’s eyes went wide, and she looked between the two of us.

“I- uh- sure. I have a black nail polish somewhere.”

I got up and went to my room. I had a drawer of miscellaneous things from middle school. Hair bleach. Sketchbooks. Black nail polish.

I grabbed the bottle and headed back into the living room and sat on the couch, cross-legged.

“Do you want me to do it?” Liz offered, reaching for the bottle. Harry grabbed it out of my hand before she could even get close.

“It’s okay, I’ve got it.”

He sat on the couch, mirroring my position, and held out his right hand. I held out my left hand, and he guided it to his knee, and then screwed the top off the nail polish bottle.

“Okay, Liz, walk me through it.”

She guided him through the basics, and I watched his face as he focused on my hand. He was biting his lip in concentration, and pieces of hair were falling in his face. Without thinking, I reached up with my free hand and brushed the hair away from his face. He froze, so I quickly pulled my hand away.

“Sorry.”

A blush creeped up his neck. “Don’t be sorry,” he mumbled.

I pressed my lips together, sensing maybe I’d fucked up, but then he looked up and smiled at me.

I think I’d die for that smile.

He only did the one hand. By the time he was done, his hands were shaking, my hands were shaking, and my cheeks felt warm.

He screwed the top back on the bottle. “We should get you to the school to set up.”

“Oh, right. I gotta get there early.”

I started to get up, and reached over to the coffee table. Liz grabbed my wrist.

“Be careful with your nails. You’ll get nail polish everywhere.”

“Right. Right, that’s…a thing.”

“You alright, Connor? You seem like you’re somewhere else,” Liz said.

Yeah, just lost somewhere in those stupid blue eyes.

I shrugged. “I’m fine. Let’s go.”

I grabbed my phone with my right hand, the one without nail polish, and we headed out.

Liz drove the minivan. She hadn’t let anyone else drive her since the accident last month.

Harry and I sat in the backseat.

“Thanks for painting my nails.”

“Sorry I only got through one hand.”

“It’s okay.”

He eyed my left hand. “Can I, uh, see how I did?”

“Sure.” I held out my hand, and he kinda just held it, barely looking at it.

I pressed my lips together, trying not to smile like an idiot. All he had to do was hold my hand and my whole chest went warm.

Liz drove us around to the back of the school. I texted Miles to let him know I was here with all of our equipment.

Liz and Harry hopped out of the minivan. Liz tossed me my keys.

“Thanks for letting me drive,” she said.

“Yeah, no problem.”

“Break a leg, Martin,” Harry said, smirking and heading over to Liz.

“Thanks, Osborn.”

Harry offered Liz his arm, since she was wearing heels, and they walked around to the front of the school.

Miles opened the back door.

“You ready?”

“Never.”


	4. Brusies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So guys this chapter is kinda serious it touches on physical abuse it is displayed and not talked about much. If abuse triggers you please don't read I care much more about you being okay then I do about you reading this chapter. Even though it does touch on the abuse the chapter is mainly fluff. Please enjoy

Midnight Coffee November 26 

“Ah my savior!” I smiled as I opened the door for Connor. He laughed and handed me my coffee. I tugged the sleeve of my shirt over my hand and took a drink of my coffee. I saw his eyes snap to my shoulder. I had pulled my sleeve to far and i knew a bruise laid right where his eyes were. I panicked and pulled on the chain that held my mom’s wedding ring pulling it out of my shirt and quickly hiding the bruise again. He took a step towards me and i thought for sure he’s gonna go straight to the bruise but instead he took the chain genteley in his hands examining the wedding band. 

“Your mom’s?” he asked and i went to answer but i realised my breath was caught in my throat at our closeness. I cleared my throat. 

“yeah” I said “she gave it to me”. Before my mom had died he she slipped the band off her finger and handed it to me. I didn’t wear it too often for fear of losing it. But i wore it when i needed to have her with me and these past few days i needed her with me more than usual. 

“It’s a beautiful ring” he said, finally looking up at me. 

“opal was her favorite” I said sheepishly and took a drink of my coffee enjoying the warmth. “Wanna go to my room?” i asked we had been standing in the foyer for what seemed like forever. 

“Yeah” he smiled. I started walking that way tucking the necklace in with my spare hand. We walked up the stairs and passed my dad on the way down the hall I hadn’t realised it but I leaned against the wall as we walked trying to keep as much distance from his as i could. Finally we reached my room and connor sat down on my bed and i sat at my desk. 

“So i asked what shall we do? I’ve got board games, movies, a lot actually” I said looking around my room realising he’s never been in here before. I noticed a few shirts laying on my floor and cursed myself. 

“i’m down for a board game” Connor said took a drink. I thought for a moment about the games I had in my room I knew I had an old monopoly board at the top of my bookshelf. 

“How about monopoly?” I asked him. 

“yeah monopoly works,” he said, and sat down on the floor. 

I walked over to the shelf. Without thinking I reached up, my shirt coming up along. Connor gasped lightly. Bugger! I mentally cursed myself I had forgot about the giant bruise wrapping around my hip. 

“He did! that didn’t he?” I dropped my head and brought my arm down “you can try to tell me some lie Harry but i saw his knuckles.” 

I laid my head on the shelf closest. I heard the door open and and I sighed and walked over sitting in my desk chair. He left his keys and coffee on the floor so he definitely has to come back. I waited silently playing with the chain and ring i didn’t hear yelling so that was good. I leaned back staring at the ceiling. I heard the door shut and i looked at connor. He had an ice pack in his hand. Connor crouched next to me 

“Where’s a bruise that I don’t have to undress you to find?” 

“not telling you’ll have to undress me to find out.” I winked 

“Fine then.” he stated firmly, and pulled my shirt up on my left side where my bruise was. “This is gonna be cold” he said softly then laid the ice pack on my side holding it there gently. I winced sharply “Sorry. Sorry.” he said quickly, “Does that hurt?” he asked I shook my head.

“No it's just really cold,” I said, taking a deep breath in. I sat up a little and looked down at him. He looked so concerned and focused that for a minute I forgot what I was gonna say. “I can do this its fine.” I said, reaching down to grab the ice pack. He pushed my hands away and sighed. 

“I know but I have a feeling you’ve would never let anyone do this so please just let me do this.” 

I had to just let him do it he’s not going to let me I leaned back staring at the ceiling. “Is there at least some way I can help?” I asked him the silence was deafening. 

“Hold your shirt up” he said focused. 

“okay” I replied and held my shirt pulling it up a bit so he could see the full bruise I leaned back and closed my eyes.

“Harry?” he asked. I hummed in response not really wanting to see the pain and what felt like anger in his eyes. 

“How many more do you have” 

“connor i really don’t-” 

“harry how many more” 

“two. I really don’t wanna talk about it” 

“okay” he said softly “tell me another story” 

“about what” I asked. 

“whatever you want” he said moving the ice pack over.

“okay. You want sad or happy?” 

“whatever you want to tell me, Harry” 

“I’m about to tell you something very personal so feel very special” I said half seriously and half jokingly. “My mom gave me three things while she was in the hospital before she died. Her ring and stuffed bunny and a letter. In her last few moments I was next her and she slipped the ring off and placed it in my hand” With my spare hand I took the chain off and looked at it. “Three years ago I went and had her named carved on the inside of the band.” I told him. “opal was her favorite. She owned tons and tons of pieces made with opal she had this necklace that was so elegant it had about ten opal stones and five diamonds. Any time her and my dad would got to events if it matched her dress she wore it.” I smiled at the memories of her walking down the stairs barefoot shoes in hand and the necklace on her neck.

“Where’s the next bruise?” he asked, removing the ice pack from my side. 

“my arm,” I said “its up near my bicep I think I have to take my shirt off.” 

“Then take it off Osborn.” 

“Okay” I said sheepishly. Damn feelings. I took off my shirt so he could ice my arm. 

“Continue?” he said placing the ice pack on my arm I winced again before continuing.

“About a week before she died she gave me a stuffed bunny. His name is very cliche it’s Mr. Hopper his resides hidden away but never forgotten in my bed side table.” I cleared my throat and slipped the chain back since I still hadn’t “and finally she gave me a letter. In the letter she apologized to me as if she had a choice in leaving. She told me to be strong and to never give up. To always know that she loves me.” I stopped, “could you hand me my coffee? I can’t really get it.” I blushed. 

“Yeah” he said, and reached behind him grabbing the cup and handing it to me I took a drink and continued. He removed the ice pack from my arm. He stood up and placed the ice back on the back of my right shoulder. We sat in silence for a bit. 

“Tell me something else about your mom” he said leaning over the chair. He was so close I could feel his breath on my shoulder. I tensed for a second as my heart sped up I was trying to remain calm and continued talking about my mom. I looked over at him he looked tired and half asleep. 

“Hey, you look pretty tired” I said softly. His hair looked soft and i wanted to tangle my hands in it and play with it until he fell asleep. 

“I’m fine” he mumbled. He looked so peacefully i didn’t wanna bother him but if i let him fall asleep he was literally gonna fall over. 

“Connor, can I drive you home” 

“no, its fine”

“Connor lie down I’ll call Mark and i’ll take you home” 

“you're not gonna give up are you?” 

“no” 

“fine” Connor lied down at then end of my bed.

I grabbed my shirt from the floor and slipped it back on while going back downstairs. I called Mark who probably wasn’t gonna be happy with me calling him at 1:30 in the morning but i’ll make sure his pay for the week is doubled. I reached the fridge put the ice pack back in the freezer. I picked up connor’s keys off the floor downed the rest of my coffee. I picked up connor’s cup which was about half full. I went and tossed it in the rubbish. I sat down back in my desk chair, I looked at Connor peacefully curled at the end of my bed. Why couldn’t I stop being such a tosser and grow some balls and ask him out. I groaned and leaned back waiting for mark to text me that he’s here. Oh wow how weird this night has been.


	5. Bruises! (Connor's POV)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey there kids, it's me, ya boi (princessbutter87)   
> enjoy the last chapter, but again, from Connor's perspective. :)

Midnight Coffee

“Ah, my savior!”

His eyes lit up, little crinkles forming at the corners as he smiled. I found myself laughing as I handed him the coffee. He tugged his sleeve up over his hand, protecting his fingers from the heart of the cup. It exposed some of the skin on his shoulder, and I saw purple and blue blossoming on his skin. He seemed to realize that I’d noticed and quickly adjusted his shirt and pulled a chain out from under his shirt, panicked. It was this long, silver chain, and there was a wedding band at the end of it. I stepped forward, and he tensed up, but I touched the ring instead of his shoulder, so he relaxed a little. I turned the ring over in my hand. It was gorgeous.

“Your mom’s?” I asked. I was suddenly very aware of how close we were, but I felt like backing away would make it weird. Besides, it wasn’t like I didn’t enjoy being this close to Harry.

He cleared his throat. “Yeah, she gave it to me.” His voice was quieter, like he was losing himself in thought. I figured it was better not to interrupt.

I turned it over in my hands a couple more times, and then I realized Harry was watching me, and it’d been quiet just a moment too long. I looked up at him. He looked tired and stressed, but somehow still managed to look like a work of art. “It’s a beautiful ring.” Wow, I sounded like a dipshit.

“Opal was her favourite,” he said, his voice still quiet, and almost…embarrassed. He took a sip of his coffee. “Wanna go to my room?”

“Yeah.” I realized I was smiling. Again. Like an idiot.

He tucked the necklace back into his shirt as we walked up the stairs.

We passed his dad in the hall. He had bruised, swollen knuckles, and I noticed that Harry tensed and leaned away from him, into the wall.

So that bruise on Harry’s shoulder was definitely from his dad. Got it.

We got to his room, and I sat down on the bed. Harry sat at his desk.

“So, what shall we do? I’ve got board games, movies…a lot, actually.”

I took a sip of my coffee, recoiling a little as it burnt my tongue. Thankfully, Harry’s eyes were lingering on a couple stray shirts on his floor, so he didn’t notice.

“I’m down for a board game.”

“How about Monopoly?” he asked.

“Yeah, Monopoly works.” I slid off the bed and onto the floor, sitting cross-legged with my back against his mattress.

Harry crossed the room, reaching up to grab Monopoly off a shelf. His shirt lifted, revealing a nasty looking bruise that wrapped around the left side of his waist and hip. I heard myself gasp.

“He did that, didn’t he?” I asked. Harry dropped his head, letting his arm fall to his side, his shirt covering the bruise again. “You can try to tell me some…lie, Harry. But I saw his knuckles.”

He rested his forehead on the closest shelf. I got up, leaving my stuff behind, and went downstairs to his kitchen. I dug around in the freezer and found an ice pack, then stood in the kitchen for a moment. I couldn’t just use a bare ice pack on him, but I didn’t know where they kept the tea towels.

Oh, well. I’d grab one of the shirts off his floor and wrap it around the ice pack.

I went back up to his room. He was leaned back in his desk chair, staring at the ceiling. I closed the door behind me, and when it clicked shut, he looked over at me.

I walked over to him. “Where’s a bruise that I don’t have to undress you to find?”

“Not telling. You’ll have to undress me to find out,” he said, smirking and winking.

Not today, Osborn. I grabbed a shirt off his floor, and wrapped it around the ice pack.

“Fine then.” I pulled up his shirt, trying to ignore the tingling sensation on my fingertips as they brushed over his skin. “This is gonna be cold,” I warned him, then placed the ice pack against the bruise as gently as I could. He winced, sucking in a breath. “Sorry, sorry. Does that hurt?”

He shook his head. “No, it’s just really cold.” He took in a deep breath and sat up a little, looking at me. “I can do this, Connor, it’s fine.”

For a moment, I got lost in the way my name sounded on his lips, and didn’t notice him reaching for the ice pack. I pushed his hands away, sighing.

“I know, but I have a feeling you’ve never let anything do this, so please. Just let me.”

Harry leaned back again. “Is there at least some way I can help?” he asked.

“Hold your shirt up,” I told him. If he held it, I didn’t have to be so hyperaware of my hand on his abs and then maybe I’d be able to breathe normally.

“Okay.” He held up the shirt, then leaned back and closed his eyes again.

I was counting in my head. The bruise on his hip. One. The bruise on his shoulder. Two. He was clearly hiding some, and it would kill me if I didn’t know how many there were.

“Harry?”

He hummed in response, low and quiet. I wondered if he’d hum against my lips if I kissed him.

Connor, focus.

“How many more do you have?”

“Connor, I really don’t-”

“Harry,” I said, a little more firmly this time. “How many more?”

He took in a deep breath. “Two. I really don’t wanna talk about it.”

“Okay,” I said, keeping my voice soft. “Tell me another story.”

“About what?”

“Whatever you want.” I shifted the ice pack, trying to ice different parts of the bruise.

“Okay. You want sad or happy?”

“Whatever you want to tell me, Harry.” I’d be happy to learn anything about him.

He paused, thinking for a few moments. I got refocused on the bruise. I hated knowing he was in pain. I wanted to help him, protect him from his dad, but I didn’t know how.

Here I was, three days post-accident, bruises and cuts covering me, and I was worried about him. Maybe I was a hypocrite.

“I’m about to tell you something very personal, so feel very special.” I couldn’t tell if he was joking or not. His voice almost shook at the end of the sentence, like he was scared to tell me. “My mom gave me three things while she was in the hospital, before she died. Her ring, a stuffed bunny, and a letter. In her last few moments I was next to her, and she slipped the ring off and placed it in my hand.” His voice wavered again, and he pulled the chain out from under his shirt, then over his head, and looked at the ring. “Three years ago, I went and had her name carved on the inside of the band.” He seemed to get lost in his thoughts again, and then snapped out of it. “Opal was her favourite. She owed tons and tons of pieces made with opal. She had this necklace that was so elegant. It had about ten opal stones and five diamonds. Any time she and my dad would go to events, if it matched her dress, she wore it.” He was smiling now, but it was kind of a sad smile.

There were a few moments of silence, and I realized I’d probably been icing this bruise for just a little too long. “Where’s the next bruise?” I asked, taking the ice pack away from his skin. It was cold to the touch, but he didn’t have frostbite, which was good.

“My arm. It’s up near my bicep,” he said. “I think I have to take my shirt off.”

“Then take it off, Osborn,” I told him, trying desperately to keep my voice even. This would be the worst time to get flustered.

“Okay.”

He took off his shirt, and I averted my eyes for a moment. Damn feelings.

“Continue?” I need the distraction. If I focused on the bruise and his voice, maybe I wouldn’t start drooling over his body. I placed the ice pack on his arm again, and he winced, but started talking before I could ask him if he was okay.

“About a week before she died, she gave me a stuffed bunny. His name is very cliché,” he mumbled, his cheeks getting rosy, “it’s Mr. Hopper.”

I smiled. It was cute.

“He’s hidden away in my bedside table.”

He cleared his throat and put the chain around his neck again.

“And, finally, she gave me a letter. In the letter, she apologized to me, as if she had a choice in leaving.” His voice cracked, and he took a breath before he kept going. “She, uh, told me to be strong, and never give up. To always know that she loves me.”

He stopped, and his demeanor shifted. I could feel his walls coming back up.

“Could you hand me my coffee? I can’t really get it.” He was blushing again.

“Yeah.” I turned around to get his coffee, handed it to him, then got up, moving the ice pack from his left bicep to the back of his left shoulder. I had to stand, and I ended up leaning forward. It was late, and I was tired, and I hadn’t realized how relaxing it’d been to sit on the floor and listen to Harry talk.

“Tell me something else about your mom.”

He looked over at me. Our faces were very, very close. What if I just…leaned in and kissed him? Was this a good moment to do that?

“Hey, you look pretty tired,” he said, his voice taking on that same soft, vulnerable quality from before.

“I’m fine,” I mumbled back.

“Connor, can I drive you home?”

“No, it’s fine.”

“Connor, lie down. I’ll call Mark and I’ll take you home.”

I sighed. “You’re not gonna give up, are you?”

“Nope.”

“Fine,” I said. I put the ice pack on his desk and laid across the end of his bed. It was so comfy, and the covers smelled like Harry’s cologne. I could’ve fallen asleep right there.

I closed my eyes, and heard Harry moving around. He left the room for a bit, then came back and moved some stuff around.

I shifted, curling up on my side. I was still stiff and sore from the accident, but once I was on my side, I was fine.

Eventually, I felt Harry’s hand on my shoulder.

“Hey, let’s get you home.”

I groaned, opening my eyes.

“Did you fall asleep? Did I wake you?”

“No, I’m fine.” I’d definitely dozed off a little, but he didn’t need to know that.

He helped me up, then we went downstairs, and he rode in the car with me back to my place. I was tempted to just put my head on his shoulder and fall asleep again, but I couldn’t do that.

He walked me up to my apartment and mumbled a goodnight, blushing a little as he did. I wanted to give him a hug, but that just would’ve hurt both of us.

I ended up leaning against my front door, listening to his footsteps as he went down the hall.

I was so screwed.


	6. #onedaystrong

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Connor's POV (also, you guys will get New Year's Eve and their first kiss soon, pinky promise) - pb87

**New Years Day**

I woke up with a killer hangover, but luckily, I remembered every second of last night.

I kind of wandered around the apartment, only half paying attention to what I was doing. Probably put too much food in my dog’s bowl, definitely put too much milk in my cereal, and felt dazed and sleepy the whole time.

Last night didn’t feel real. It had that hazy, dreamy quality over it.

Then there was a knock on the door.

I went and opened it to see Harry, hands shoved deep in his pockets, looking a little sheepish.

“Can I come in?”

“Yeah, of course. Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, yeah, I just…I was worried you didn’t wanna see me.”

“Why wouldn’t I wanna see my boyfriend?” I asked.

He grinned, then stepped into the apartment.

All I wanted to do was kiss him. More than anything. I wanted to hold him close and wrap my arms around him and feel his arms around me and just…kiss him.

But I had a lot less confidence when I was sober, so I didn’t.

“Um, do you wanna just, hang out in my room or something?”

Harry raised an eyebrow.

“Not like that! Just…I don’t know.”

“Yeah, I’m down.”

So we went into my room, sat on my bed, and kinda just…hung out. At first, I was against the headboard, and he was at the foot of the bed, and we kinda just did our own things for a while.

“Connor?” he said after a while.

“Yeah?”

“Can I come up there with you?” Harry was so adorable when he was nervous.

I nodded, patting the spot next to me on the bed. He crawled up to the headboard and sat next to me.

“Here,” he said, putting an arm around me. I leaned into him, letting my head rest on his shoulder. Harry started playing with my hair, so I closed my eyes and shifted so I was cuddling him a little more.

Wow, I was happy.

We stayed like that for a long time. I think I would’ve fallen asleep if it weren’t for the fact that I didn’t want to miss a moment with him.

“Do you wanna go see a movie or something?” he said after a while. “Like a…proper date?”

I had to crane my neck back to look at him. His cheeks were rosy and he wouldn’t meet my eyes for a second.

“Why are you so nervous?” I asked him.

“I don’t know. We were both pretty drunk last night when…”

“Yeah, that doesn’t mean I haven’t been head over heels for you for months, Harry.”

He looked away. “I just…what do you see in me?”

I sat up and looked at him. “Are you blind?”

He still wouldn’t meet my eyes. I turned his face towards mine, forcing him to look at me.

“Harry, you’re sweet and adorable and smart and-and there’s nothing about you I don’t like. I think the world of you.”

He didn’t say anything, but his eyes started to get a little glassy. I held his face there and kissed him. It was meant to be short and sweet, but he reached up and slid his hands around my neck and held me there.

“Harry,” I mumbled, pulling away a little.

“Lemme kiss you, dork,” he whispered, pulling me back into the kiss.

I didn’t know it was possible to feel like this. For your chest to feel so warm and full, you’re scared it’ll explode. To be so happy you don’t know what to do with yourself.

I wanted to melt, or scream, or do something, because I didn’t know how to actually handle this feeling. But I also didn’t want to stop kissing him.

This was heaven on earth.

He pulled away first, giving me the softest, cutest smile, then ruffled my hair a bit.

“Wanna go catch that movie?”

I laughed breathlessly. “Yeah, sure, let’s do it.”

We got up and got in my car, found a movie theatre, and picked a movie neither of us particularly cared about, and sat down at the back of the theatre.

“You know we’re just gonna end up making out the whole time, right?” Harry whispered.

“Yeah, I was kinda hoping.”

He grinned, then traced a couple fingers over my face, then lifted my chin and stared right through my eyes and into my soul. He wasn’t smiling anymore. I wasn’t either.

“Harry-”

And then his lips were pressed against mine.

I wondered if he had LSD or something on his lips, because every time he kissed me, I felt high.

We got kicked out halfway through the movie when an usher caught him giving me a hickey. We laughed the whole way out of theatre.

“The hickey’s a better souvenir than the ticket stub,” I said with a shrug as we got back into my car.

Harry laughed. “Anytime you want more-”

“Oh, shut it.” I smacked his shoulder playfully, which only made him laugh harder, which made me smile.

I drove him home, then walked him to the door.

“Are you gonna go home?” Harry asked, his voice falling soft.

“Yeah, someone’s gotta walk the dog, and my parents won’t exactly be happy with me if one of them has to do it.”

Harry sighed, “Yeah, that’s fair, I guess.”

“Don’t pout like that,” I said, “you’re gonna make me feel bad.”

“If I make you feel bad enough, will you stay a couple more hours?”

“You’re a lot needier than you seem, Osborn,” I teased. He hit my shoulder playfully, then slipped his hand into mine, and pulled me close, so we were nose-to-nose.

“I had fun today,” he whispered.

“Yeah, uh, me too.”

He tilted his head and kissed me, and I felt his hands leave mine and tangle in my hair. My hands balled up the fabric of his shirt in fists as I kissed him back, my brain going blank.

He pulled away after a moment, then kissed my cheek.

“Text me when you get home so I know you’re safe.”

“Yeah, okay.”

“Bye, love.”

“Bye.”

I walked back to my car and got in, and he stood in the doorway and waved until I was gone.


	7. Fireworks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> how they got together

**New Years Eve – Harry**

Five minutes until midnight. I was standing with Ned, Jess, and Liz, chatting idly in the last few minutes before the ball drops. It felt like time was running out, like if I let these last few minutes of the year go by, I’d never make a move on Connor.

This was good. This anxiety was good. It pushed me to make a move.

I looked around the room, and my eyes landed on the curls I’d memorized by accident. He was standing with Miles and Cindy, chatting, occasionally glancing at the TV.

I tried to keep up the conversation, but my mind kept wandering. What would his hair feel like between my fingers? Would his lips be as soft as they looked? Would he kiss me back?

“Harry?”

I snapped out of it, looking back at Ned.

“Hi. That’s me.”

Liz nudged me. “You alright there, Osborn?”

“Yeah. Yeah, of course, I’m fine.”

Liz raised an eyebrow at Jessie.

“Hey, um, can you hand me that bottle of schnapps?” I asked Liz, pointing behind her, to an unopened bottle on the counter.

She handed it to me, and I unscrewed the lid and took two gulps of the schnapps. It was sickly sweet alcohol, but it was alcohol. Liquid courage. Which was exactly what I needed right now.

“Whoa, Harry, slow down,” Liz said, putting a hand on the bottle and slowly pulling it away.

“No, give it back, I need it.”

“You need it?” Jessie asked.

I glanced back over at Connor. He was clearly drunk, he had that rosy glow to him, and he seemed a little off balance.

“Yes, so give it back!”

Liz held it out of my reach. “Go kiss him,” she said, lowering her voice and stepping closer, so only I could hear.

“I-I can’t.”

“Yes, Harry, you can. You know he feels the same about you. Just, you know, rip off the band aid.”

I wrung my wrists, trying to get out some of my nervous energy. I could do this. I just had to kiss him. I’d kissed countless girls, I could kiss him.

But, damn, none of those girls had been like him. None of them had the same magical smile, or warm, comforting touch, or soft voice, or amazing, bouncy curls that seemed to have a mind of their own. None of them had his eyes, that beautiful deep chocolate colour, or the transparency, like you could read his mind through his eyes. He was expressive as all hell.

I wondered what he’d express towards me if I kissed him.

I glanced towards him again, maybe just making sure I knew where he was, maybe just to see him bounce on his toes as Miles said something that made him laugh, but as I turned back to Liz, I caught MJ looking at me. She gestured at Connor. I shrugged and turned back to Liz. She was looking at the TV.

“You’ve got thirty seconds, dude, it’s time to make your move.”

“Liz, no, I can’t.” I could feel myself getting panicky, my heart in my throat as I grabbed Liz’s arm, grabbing the schnapps back.

“Yes, you can, Harry.”

People around us were starting to countdown. There were twenty seconds left in the year.

Connor had come into my life in August. I’d waited too long already. I didn’t want to start this year pining and beating myself up, I wanted to start this year testing my theory about his soft lips.

Okay. I could do this. It was just a kiss. Just a kiss.

I nodded. “Okay. I’ll, um, talk to you later.”

She smiled, giving me a little push. “Go, go, go!”

I turned to Ned and Jess.

“TEN!” the crowd shouted. Oh, boy.

“Guys, I’ll, um, be back soon. Or not. Depends.”

“NINE!”

Ned and Jess both waved me towards Connor.

“EIGHT!”

I put the bottle of schnapps on a table.

“SEVEN!”

I started to push through the crowd. Why did I think throwing a party this big was a good idea?

“SIX!”

I pushed past a couple of freshman girls, a couple of which looked me up and down as I walked past.

What if he pushed me off? What if he hated me after this?

“FIVE!”

I turned to MJ. She was still looking at me, leaning over the back of the couch, Peter next to her. “Just do it,” she mouthed.

“FOUR!”

I made it closer, until I was maybe three steps away, then hesitated. He looked like he was having fun, shouting out the countdown with Miles and Cindy. What if I ruined that for him?

“THREE!”

Come on, Harry. Come on, Harry. It’s just Connor, it’s just a kiss.

“TWO!”

I stepped forwards, putting a hand on his shoulder, turning him towards me.

Just a kiss. Just a kiss.

“ONE!”

I pulled him by his hips and kissed him, hard.

_“HAPPY NEW YEAR!”_

**New Years Eve - Connor**

“Five!” We’re lifting our glasses.

“Four!” We’re watching the ball drop on the TV.

“Three!” My throat hurt from yelling.

“Two!” There’s a hand on my shoulder, turning me.

“One!” And suddenly there were lips against mine, hands on my hips, and fireworks going off in the backyard.

I pulled away, just for a second, just to make sure it was Harry.

He gave me that gorgeous signature smirk. “Happy new year, Connor.”

I couldn’t speak. His hands were still on my hips, his soul-piercing blue eyes locked on mine, and all I wanted to do was kiss him again. Kiss those perfect lips and run my fingers through his perfect hair and render him as speechless as he’d rendered me.

I was drunk enough that I went for it, kissing him, pulling him right up against my body. My heart was going bonkers in my chest, and my whole body felt like I was going to explode from happiness.

He kissed me. He wanted me.

I’d had crushes, sure, and I’d kissed other guys, but I’d never felt this. I’d never wanted anybody like I wanted Harry. I’d never wanted anybody’s hands on me like this, or wanted their lips on me like this. This was the realest thing that had ever happened to me. Harry was. Maybe he’d be the best thing to ever happen to me, too. It sure fucking felt like it tonight.

He pulled away, kissing my nose before he slid a hand into mine, led me up to his room, pulled out a bottle of vodka, and let me out into his backyard.

The novelty of the fireworks had worn off, so everybody who’d been out here had gone back inside.

“Sorry, I know it’s cold,” Harry mumbled, leaning against the railing on the porch and unscrewing the cap on the bottle. “Alcohol makes me overheat.” He was blushing and wouldn’t make eye contact with me.

“It’s okay. I’m not cold.”

Harry took a drink, then passed the bottle to me. I had a gulp, then held it out to him. Instead of grabbing the bottle, he wrapped his hand around my wrist and pulled me close.

I could get lost in his eyes over and over. They were a pale, piercing blue, with little flecks of green I’d never noticed before. I’d never had an excuse to be this close to his face before. I wanted to stay this close to him forever.

“I have to ask you something,” Harry said after a moment, breaking the silence.

“Shoot.”

“Would you- and you can say no- do you want us to- can I-”

He stopped, looking away and letting out a huff.

“Sorry, I’m usually better at this.”

I smiled, it was cute that he was so flustered. I reached over, turning his face back so he was forced to look at me. “Are you trying to ask me out?”

“Yeah.”

“Harry, all I’ve wanted for months is for you to be my boyfriend.”

Harry’s lips turned up in the cutest little smile, his eyes lighting up.

And I couldn’t help it. I leaned in and kissed him again.

“Connor,” he mumbled, pulling away, “I don’t wanna royally fuck this up.”

“Me neither.”

“I don’t wanna lose you,” he admitted, and for the first time since I’d met him, he looked small, vulnerable, delicate.

“You’re not gonna lose me, not if I have a say in it.”

He slid his arms around me, burying his face in my neck. “Good.”

We only half-pulled away from that hug. Our arms were still loosely wrapped around each other, and we mumbled softly to each other as we passed the bottle back and forth.

Then, snow started to fall. It was the gentlest snowfall I’d ever witnessed. I looked at Harry and saw the flakes landing in his hair, on his eyelashes, on his cheekbones and nose, and realized that I’d never forgive myself if I didn’t remember every detail of this night in the morning.

I took the bottle out of Harry’s hand and set it down on a deck chair.

It might’ve been the most perfect moment in human history. Harry’s arm around my shoulders. My arms around his waist. My head on his shoulder, his lips on my forehead.

The snow, falling gently, in perfect flakes, all around us.

The first few hours of 2019 were the best hours of my life.

Happy fucking new year.


	8. informally yours

**Before the formal**

“Okay okay okay, the real question is who’s gonna have bigger dick energy on the stage tonight, Miles or MJ?” Liz asked.

“I’m not even a contestant?” I pouted.

Harry smiled at me. “You have bigger softie energy than any of them.”

“That’s a consolation prize and you know it.”

“Come on, Connor, you remember that day that Flash posted MJ’s texts to her Instagram and she stood up in front of the whole cafeteria and said that everything was true?”

I laughed. “Enjoy your curly fries, kids.”

“How do you compete with that?” Harry asked.

Liz smacked his arm. “You’re mean.”

“He’s right. How do you compete with that?”

We all sat there in silence for a second.

“I could paint your nails,” Harry suggested.

Liz’s eyes went wide, and she looked between the two of us.

“I- uh- sure. I have a black nail polish somewhere.”

I got up and went to my room. I had a drawer of miscellaneous things from middle school. Hair bleach. Sketchbooks. Black nail polish.

I grabbed the bottle and headed back into the living room and sat on the couch, cross-legged.

“Do you want me to do it?” Liz offered, reaching for the bottle. Harry grabbed it out of my hand before she could even get close.

“It’s okay, I’ve got it.”

He sat on the couch, mirroring my position, and held out his right hand. I held out my left hand, and he guided it to his knee, and then screwed the top off the nail polish bottle.

“Okay, Liz, walk me through it.”

She guided him through the basics, and I watched his face as he focused on my hand. He was biting his lip in concentration, and pieces of hair were falling in his face. Without thinking, I reached up with my free hand and brushed the hair away from his face. He froze, so I quickly pulled my hand away.

“Sorry.”

A blush creeped up his neck. “Don’t be sorry,” he mumbled.

I pressed my lips together, sensing maybe I’d fucked up, but then he looked up and smiled at me.

That smile could tear me apart and put me back together again in the blink of an eye.

He only did the one hand. By the time he was done, his hands were shaking, my hands were shaking, and my cheeks felt warm.

He screwed the top back on the bottle. “We should get you to the school to set up.”

“Oh, right. I gotta get there early.”

I started to get up, and reached over to the coffee table. Liz grabbed my wrist.

“Be careful with your nails. You’ll get nail polish everywhere.”

“Right. _Right_ , that’s…a thing.”

“You alright, Connor? You seem like you’re somewhere else,” Liz said.

Yeah, just lost somewhere in those stupid blue eyes.

I shrugged. “I’m fine. Let’s go.”

I grabbed my phone with my right hand, the one without nail polish, and we headed out.

Liz drove the minivan. She hadn’t let anyone else drive her since the accident last month.

Harry and I sat in the backseat.

“Thanks for painting my nails.”

“Sorry I only got through one hand.”

“It’s okay.”

He eyed my left hand. “Can I, uh, see how I did?”

“Sure.” I held out my hand, and he kinda just held it, barely looking at it.

I pressed my lips together, trying not to smile like an idiot. All he had to do was hold my hand and my whole chest went warm.

Liz drove us around to the back of the school. I texted Miles to let him know I was here with all of our equipment.

Liz and Harry hopped out of the minivan. Liz tossed me my keys.

“Thanks for letting me drive,” she said.

“Yeah, no problem.”

“Break a leg, Martin,” Harry said, smirking and heading over to Liz.

“Thanks, Osborn.”

Harry offered Liz his arm, since she was wearing heels, and they walked around to the front of the school.

Miles opened the back door.

“You ready?”

“Never.”


	9. stamps of approval

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is what I did today instead of studying for the three exams (including one midterm and two diplomas) this week so lets hope it was worth it - pb87

**Guy’s Night**

“Harry, this is a bad idea. What if they hate me?”

“We went on that double date with Peter and MJ and it was fine, love, you have nothing to worry about.”

“That was different. Peter wasn’t explicitly trying to get to know me. And I’m pretty sure he hated me, too, because he thought MJ and I were sleeping together for a while and it was a whole-”

Harry cupped my face in his hands. “Connor, it’s going to be fine. They want to like you.”

I sighed. “Are you sure?”

“Of course I’m sure. I’ve known them both forever.” He leaned in and kissed me, then pulled away and opened the car door. “Come on, there’s nothing to be afraid of.”

I took a deep breath, then got out of the car and walked with Harry into the arcade.

Peter and Ned were already inside, playing some Star Wars game together.

“Alright, I’m gonna get us some tokens, you just go in and talk to them,” Harry said.

“What? No! Are you crazy?”

Harry laughed. “You’ll be fine, Care Bear, just go say hi. You already know Peter.”

“I can’t just-”

“Peter! Ned!”

They both turned towards us.

“Oh, hey!”

“There, I said hi for you. Now, go. I’ll be there in two minutes.” He gave me a gentle push towards them, so I headed over.

“Hey, Connor. Um, this is Ned,” Peter said, introducing us.

“Hi.” I did this weird, awkward, half-wave. Ned didn’t seem to notice.

“Hey, I’ve seen you around. You were great at the winter formal.”

“Oh, thanks.”

“Here, um, why don’t you take my place in the game?” Peter said, stepping aside. “You two play.”

I stepped into the game, and Ned quickly explained what to do before he hit play on it. I was absolute garbage at the game, but Ned smiled and gave me a pat on the back when we finished.

“Not bad for your first time.”

“Title of your sex tape,” Harry said from behind, sparking laughter from all of us. He came up beside me, sliding an arm around my waist.

I froze for a moment. When I lived in Mineral Point, Wisconsin, you couldn’t really show any affection out in public like this. At least, not if you were gay. For a split second, I forgot that I was in New York, that I was out and nobody was going to tell me I was going to hell, and I braced myself for the backlash. I could still hear the pastor’s voice in my ear, telling me I’d burn for eternity. I could hear my grandma telling me I’d learn to make better choices, to choose a girl. I could hear my dad and his dad arguing in the kitchen, I could hear my parents talking in the living room at one in the morning about leaving, going somewhere “better for Connor”.

The backlash didn’t come, and I relaxed, putting an arm around Harry.

The four of us wandered around the arcade, chatting, checking out potential games to play. I found myself almost hiding behind Harry, staying quiet, trying to make myself invisible. These three had known each other forever. I felt like an intruder.

“Skeeball?” Harry suggested as we approached the machines.

“Yeah, I’m down,” Ned said, digging tokens out of his pockets. Peter did the same, grabbing a couple tokens out of his pocket and putting them in the machines.

Harry looked at me, and realized I didn’t have my tokens out. “Oh, did I not give you as many as I thought I did?”

“Oh, no, I have plenty of tokens, I just…think I’ll sit this one out.”

Peter shot Harry a look I couldn’t read, then Harry said, “Can you guys give us a moment?”

“Wha-”

Harry pulled me away, into a corner of the arcade by an employees only door.

“Alright, what gives?”

“What?”

“You’re not acting like yourself tonight.”

“I don’t-”

Harry stepped closer to me, and I realized I was backed into a corner. I couldn’t sneak past him to get away from this conversation.

“Is everything okay? Did one of them say something to you before I came over?”

“No, of course not, I’m just…I don’t feel like I belong here. I can leave and-and pick you up later, if you want-”

“That’s the last thing I want, Connor. Listen, I- I get that you’re nervous, but I want you and my friends to get to know each other. Peter really wanted to get to know you, too, this whole thing was his idea.”

I frowned. “It was?”

“Yes! They want to like you, Connor, I told you that. Of course they do. And I want you to like them. So just…give it a chance? Please?”

I didn’t say anything for a second. I was scared. I knew I shouldn’t be, because there was nothing to be scared of. Ned and Peter had been nothing but nice to me so far, and nobody here was going to yell at Harry and I for holding hands. I didn’t want his friends to hate me, but I knew they’d be less likely to like me if I ditched them because I was nervous. I didn’t want to disappoint Harry.

“Okay.”

A slow smile spread across his face, and then he held my face in both of his hands and kissed me.

Who cared if some homophobic asshole didn’t like that we were together? I liked that we were together. So I kissed him back. It felt reckless, despite being safe. My heart pounded and my stomach did flips.

He pulled away, slowly, pressing his forehead against mine when he did. “You sure?”

“I’m sure.”

He kissed my cheek, then laced his fingers between mine and pulled me back towards the skeeball machines.

“Alright, lowest score buys milkshakes for all of us afterwards,” Harry announced, pulling out tokens and putting them in a machine for me.

I laughed. “Great, I’m screwed.”

“You can’t be worse than Ned,” Peter teased.

“Hey! I’m not that bad!”

“Ned, once you threw the ball behind you and it landed on that kid’s foot,” Harry added.

Ned crossed his arms. “That was in, like, ninth grade.”

“Oh, what about that day you sat on the Dance Dance Revolution machine and rocked back and forth to the Cha Cha Slide?” Harry asked, crossing his arms. Ned pressed his lips together, staring back at him.

“That was just a rough day.”

Peter laughed. “Whatever you say, man. Let’s play.”

Peter was…unusually good at it. He got almost every single ball into the highest scoring holes, with maybe one or two that missed. Even then, those looked like they might’ve been on purpose.

Ned and I were equally bad, to the point where Harry and Peter had finished and Ned and I still had half our balls left.

“Here,” Harry said, stepping behind me. “I’ll help you. Pick up a ball.”

I grabbed one, then he wrapped a hand around my wrist, then put his other hand on my hip. I knew this was some cheesy move of his (and Peter and Ned looking at each other, rolling their eyes, confirmed that for me), but I felt like I was in a movie.

“Okay, wind up, twist your hips, throw, and follow through. Ready?”

“Ready,” I said, most definitely not ready.

He helped me through the throw. The ball landed in the highest-scoring hole.

“See? Easy.”

Peter coughed. “Cheesy.”

“Cool, so now I’m screwed,” Ned groaned, picking up another ball.

I shrugged. “I got lucky.”

“Yeah, you did,” Harry said, lifting his hand for a high five.

Peter reluctantly slapped his hand, then turned to me, completely deadpan. “I hope you know what you signed up for with this one.”

I smiled at Harry. “I know. He’s overtly sexual and deflects any actual emotions he experiences, but he’s gotta deal with me, too, so I think it’s fair.”

Harry blushed, turning away. “Just finish the game, Martin.”

“Oh, my god. Is that a blush? Is Harry Osborn blushing?” Ned teased.

“Shut up, man.”

“That’s a blush! Connor, what did you do to our Harry? Look at him! You broke him!”

“Actually,” Harry said, his voice soft as he looked at me with big, round eyes, “I think he did the exact opposite.”

I kissed him, and both Peter and Ned whistled, just to tease.

“This is why I’ve never been in a relationship. These guys get all weird any time I have feelings.”

“Steve Irwin would get weird if he saw a dodo bird,” Ned said with a shrug.

“Rest in peace, Steve,” Peter mumbled.

“I’m just saying that you get weird around things you weren’t sure existed, like dragons, or Harry’s emotions.”

“Alright, Ned, let’s just finish the game so you can buy us all milkshakes,” I said, cutting in. Harry let go of me so I could throw my last few balls.

I beat Ned, narrowly, but before we could all head over to the snack bar, Peter spotted the air hockey table.

“Hey, you guys wanna play some air hockey? Ned and I versus you two lovebirds?”

“Wow, Peter, the second we’re not all teasing you about MJ, you gotta open your mouth about Connor and I?”

Peter shrugged. “Gotta make up for lost time. You in?”

Harry looked at me, trying to gauge my reaction.

“I’m down,” I said, grabbing tokens out of my pocket and handing them to Peter.

“Ooh, Connor got some confidence from winning a game against me,” Ned teased.

“Should we do the trade-out thing?” Peter asked Harry.

“Sure.”

Peter and Ned headed to one side of the table, putting tokens in. I turned to Harry.

“What’s the trade-out thing?”

“Oh, um, anytime one of them scores, they have to switch, and anytime we score, we have to switch.”

I nodded. “Got it.”

Peter stood on his side of the table, neon yellow plastic paddle in hand.

Harry grinned. “Alright, Connor, you first.”

I stared at him. “What? No!”

He gave me a gentle push, kissing my cheek as he did.

I picked up a paddle, and Peter put the puck down on the centre of the table.

I didn’t know a lot about Peter, but from what I’d heard from MJ, or seen in the hallways, he wasn’t super outgoing or confident. But right now he looked like he was in his element, which probably meant I was about to lose.

I was right. He had crazy fast reflexes. I couldn’t get anything past him. I had to struggle to keep up, barely preventing him from scoring on me his first two tries. The third time he got a shot, I was way too slow, and he scored, easy.

He and Ned traded spots, and then Ned and I were stuck there for a while. Both of us were good on defence, so any shots we made were blocked. Eventually, he scored on me, and he and Peter switched again.

“I’m starting to think you guys rigged this against him,” Harry said, putting a hand on the small of my back.

Peter shrugged it off.

I still couldn’t get a shot in against him. He scored on me within a minute, and he and Ned switched out again. Thankfully, I scored on Ned, switched with Harry, and got a break. Well, a very brief break. Harry scored on Ned super easily, then we had to switch again.

A few more points and switches later, Harry and Peter were going up against each other. If Peter scored, Harry and I lost. If Harry scored, I’d still have to score one more point against Peter, which I knew I couldn’t do. Either way, we were screwed.

Harry could keep up against Peter surprisingly well. He didn’t have the same inhuman reflexes, but he was doing well.

Eventually, though, Peter scored on Harry, so he and Ned won.

While Peter and Ned were celebrating, I realized something.

“Hey, the last time I saw someone with reflexes that fast was-”

I stopped myself. I was going to bring up a clip of Spider-Man catching a car, but then I realized it almost…made sense.

“Was?” Harry asked. Peter and Ned both looked a little panicky. Was I right?

“Oh, um, have you guys seen those videos of Captain America from, like, the forties?”

Peter visibly relaxed. “Yeah. Anyways, um, should we go get those milkshakes?”

“Sure.”

We ended up sitting outside, on a bench, each of us with a milkshake. Harry had his arm around me, squeezing me every once in a while and then giving me a smile. We got the chance to chat and get to know each other better. I found out Peter was an orphan, and that’s why he lived with his aunt, and that Ned had converted Peter from Star Trek to Star Wars in their freshman year. I got to hear embarrassing stories from their childhoods and hilarious blunders from chemistry classes and everything in between.

As I was laughing over a photo Ned had shown me of Peter and Harry covered in flour, Peter said, “What about you, Connor?”

I stopped laughing. “W-what about me?”

“I don’t know, where’d you grow up? Did you have a blankie as a kid?” That one earned a snort out of Harry. “What’s your family like?”

I had to think. I didn’t know where to start.

“Okay, well, I grew up in Mineral Point, Wisconsin. I did not have a blankie as a kid, but I did have one of my dad’s college sweaters that I used to wear to bed all the time. It was huge on me, I don’t know why they let me wear it.” Harry chuckled this soft, endearing chuckle, and squeezed me a little. “My family’s…really great. I honestly couldn’t ask for better parents. When I came out, they were really awesome about it. Had the, um, manners to pretend to be surprised, as if they hadn’t figured it out by the time I was four. And they moved here for me, which is pretty awesome.” I realized I was rambling and shut my mouth.

Ned frowned. “Why did you move here?”

“Oh, you know, bigger city, more doors to open, that sort of thing. Maybe they just got really sick of having to drive for-fucking-ever for Waffle House-”

Harry squeezed me again, but this was different. He wasn’t smiling. “Why’d you move here, Care Bear?”

Welp. Here we go.

“I- um- I grew up hearing those ‘love thy neighbour’ sermons and…I don’t know, I was stupid enough to think that small town Catholic people could practice what they preach. I got bullied by pretty much everyone when I came out. There’s only so much you can shrug off, you know? So, eventually, my parents decided the higher rent costs were worth not cleaning eggs off the side of the house once a week, and here I am.”

The three of them stared at me. Then, Peter said, “Wow. That sucks, man, I’m sorry.”

I shrugged. “It’s fine. I’m here now.”

Harry frowned. “But…you had good friends, there, right? You weren’t completely alone?”

“I had a couple. Some of them didn’t talk to me for a while after, but they came around. I don’t talk to many of them anymore, though.”

There was a long silence. I took a sip of my milkshake.

“We don’t have to have a moment of silence for my deceased social life,” I said, cutting through the tension. It earned a laugh.

“Okay, that’s a mood,” Ned laughed.

After that, the night was easy. And I was glad I’d met them. It was done and out of the way, I’d made a decent impression, everything was fine. Absolutely fine.

That night, Harry and I cuddled up in bed, and everything was quiet and still. I thought he’d gone to sleep, but then he said, “I think they really liked you.”

“Do you actually think that, or are you just saying that to make me feel better?”

“They actually liked you, Care Bear. Promise.”

I watched his face carefully. His eyes were closed, his expression almost completely blank, save for the slight upward turn of his lips.

“Hey,” I whispered, and he turned his face up. I leaned in and kissed him. “Thanks for showing me your skeeball tricks.”

He grinned. “I’ll show you all kinds of other tricks another day, Connor. Go to sleep.”

He nuzzled in closer, burying his face in the fabric of my sweater. Well, his sweater, but I’d stolen it off of him when we got home. I felt his breathing even out, and his muscles relax, and realized he was asleep. I kissed the top of his head, then let myself fall asleep, too.


	10. he finds out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> written by dooditsj, edited by pb87  
> Harry's POV

**The One Where It Changes**

Connor had spent the night with me, and then we’d spent the whole day watching Netflix and napping, and now, we laid in bed, his head on my chest, my arms wrapped around him, in the comfort of my king-sized bed. We were idly chatting, and then we stopped talking to kiss, and from there it escalated quickly. I had Connor’s knees between my knees, my hands on his sides, kissing him.

Then the door flew open.

My dad dropped his dry cleaned suit in his hand.

I moved, sitting up and making sure I was in front of Connor.

“What the fuck is this?” Dad shouted.

I could feel the sinking feeling in my stomach and the ache in my bones. This wasn’t going to be good.

“Dad, you’ve met Connor,” I said, dropping my eyes to the ground, “my boyfriend.” It came out quieter than I meant for it to.

“What was that, boy?” he shouted. I shook my head.

I shouldn’t be afraid to say this to my own father.

“He’s my boyfriend, Dad,” I said louder, almost choking on the words. They felt so natural when I said them to my friends. They felt foreign and awkward when I said them to my dad.

“Disgusting,” he mumbled, and I knew he was beyond angry because he’d gone quiet. “I don’t want that shit in my house. What possessed you to think a stunt like this would be tolerated in my household?” he spat.

I couldn’t process what he was saying. Honestly, I wasn’t fully paying attention. I didn’t know he’d react this way. Maybe I should’ve guessed. Maybe I’d gotten my hopes up too high. Maybe I should’ve thought it through more.

“Harrison Theopolis Osborn, I asked you a question and I damn well expect you to answer!” I didn’t know what to say so I stayed silent. “Stand up, come here.”

I glanced at Connor, and he looked just as lost as I felt.

I wished I could’ve protected him from this. I didn’t want him to see this.

I stood, and slowly approached my dad.

“I asked you a question.”

“I- um, I-”

He slapped me hard across the face. Tears welled in my eyes.

I couldn’t cry, I couldn’t cry, I couldn’t-

“What in the actual fuck!” Connor snapped. I turned and saw him getting out of bed, crossing the room towards my dad. “You preach all the damn time at press conferences, and on TV, wherever the fuck, about acceptance and equality!” He looked at me. “Harry, sit down.”

I sat down on the edge of the bed again, watching Connor stare down my dad.

I kept telling myself not to cry. I didn’t wanna cry in front of Connor. But the slap had stung like a motherfucker, and I could feel my face going red where he’d slapped me.

“And here you are, and you don’t practice what you preach. That’s what’s fucking disgusting here, Norman. And clearly you haven’t felt love a day in your life, or you’d know that it doesn’t fucking matter who you love, as long as you love them right. You’re a disgusting goddamn hypocrite. Get out.”

My dad stared at him, genuinely taken aback.

“I said, get out!”

Connor put a hand on my dad’s chest and shoved him back, then slammed the door in his face, and locked it. He turned back to me, and I could see his shoulders rise and fall with each deep breath he took, trying to catch up from shouting. I bit the inside of my lip, trying desperately to keep it in.

Don’t cry in front of Connor, don’t cry in front of Connor, don’t cry in front of Connor.

He came and sat down next to me, and I couldn’t meet his eyes, not with the tears still pooling in mine. He traced his fingers over my cheek, where my dad had just hit me. A couple tears spilled over, streaking down my face.

He cupped my face, turning my head to face him, and looked right into my eyes. I took one look at those big brown eyes, and burst into tears. He didn’t say anything, just pulled me closer to his chest and let me cry. Connor held me there, rubbing my back, letting me sob.

It reminded me of when my mom was still around. When I was little and when dad was angry, and when she’d hold me just like this. No words needed. Just love.

I stopped crying, but I still didn’t know what to say or even what to think. Connor kissed the top of my head and wiped away a few tears, fingers brushing over my cheekbones with care.

We sat there in silence for a few moments. I was looking down at my lap, fiddling with my thumbs, thinking it all through.

Connor got up and grabbed something, but I didn’t have the energy to look up and find out what.

Connor sat back down in the middle of my bed, cross-legged. He held a deck of cards up, then opened it, tipped the cards out into his hand, and started to shuffle. I watched his hands, a little hypnotized, as he did a few fancy shuffling tricks.

Finally, I dug up some courage, and looked up into his eyes.

“Go Fish?” he asked, with the cutest, most optimistic smile ever.

This boy could walk me through the apocalypse with that smile.

I nodded my head, because how could I say no to that smile?

“You wanna go first?” he asked, dealing out the cards.

Finally, a question I could answer without choking.

“No, that’s alright, you can,” I said softly, looking down at my cards.

“Okay, do you have an eight?”

“Go fish,” I replied. He drew a card from the deck and looked at me. “Do you have a seven?” I asked. His eyebrows furrowed, just a little. I held out a hand expectantly.

“Here,” he said with a pout, handing me the card.

“Do you have a queen?”

He smiled, and I realized I was already smiling. “There we go,” he said, reaching forward and ruffling my hair. “That’s the smile I wanted to see.”

We played a little longer, then moved on from Go Fish, quite tired by the way it was going. I was winning and he was losing.

We settled on War as our next game. There wasn’t much other conversation going on, apart from the game, but that was okay. We didn’t need the extra conversation. I just needed the reassurance that he cared about me, that he’d be there for me, and that he wouldn’t pressure me to talk about the things I didn’t want to talk about. So we sat there, and played card games, and gave each other small smiles every few minutes.

You know that feeling when you love somebody so much that no matter what kind of mood you’re in, they have the power to make you laugh and smile? Connor was that person for me. And Connor managed to make me laugh and smile when I didn’t feel like laughing or smiling.

“Hey, Earth to Harry,” Connor said, his voice soft, like he was hesitant to break me out of my train of thought.

I put my cards down and leaned over, kissing him, just so he could have some reassurance, too.


End file.
